Development communication: Need and Importance

Nelson Mandela said.Make poverty history. It is not natural, but man made and it can be eradicated by the actions of human beings.Year 2006: 1.3 billion people world-wide still live in absolute poverty.

Why there are problems still?UN and its members strive endlessly to alleviate poverty globallyKey problems yet unresolvedHave any solutions worked at all?Even with most revolutionary technologytotal development still seems a dream unfulfilled.

The major flawRevolutionary communication tools marginalized as partners in development process

Communication gap with end-users

Successful development communication A socio-cultural process of DialogueInformation-sharing Building mutual understandingAgreeing to collective actionAmplifying the voice of the end users

Tools of successful development communicationVariety of communication vehicles from mass to community mediaNew technologies to traditional mediaFolk mediaInter-personal communication

Effective applicationFree, independent, pluralistic, responsible media

Open and accountable govt.

What is development communication?Communication for development

Communication for social change

Definition Process of identifying, segmenting and targeting specific groups and audiences with particular strategies, messages and training programs through various mass media and interpersonal channels, traditional and non-traditional (McKee 1992).

DefinitionA process of dialogue, information sharing, mutual understanding and agreement, and collective action (Rockefeller Foundation 2000).

Characteristics of development communicationDifferent perceptions at different levelsEarlier seen as a support to the development sectorSome see it as an exclusive sectorMore in favor of face-to-face communicationOthers favor mediated communication

The two faces of development communicationFace I: Development communication envisions communication as a way to ORGANIZE and DELIVER information to fill KNOWLEDGE GAPS or PERSUADE audiences for behavior change

FACE II Development communication goes beyond organizing and delivering information.

It is a process needed to build trust, seek consensus and assess the situation involving all stakeholders.

The common threadMedia

New Information technologies

What works: Five key ideasFocus on individual and contextual factors in behavior changeIntegrate top-down and bottom-up approachesHave a tool-kit approachCombine media and interpersonal communicationCommunity empowerment should be the goal

Focus on individual and contextual factors

Comprehensive approach to address factors that affect behavior.

Focus on individual, family, community, and policy levels.

Integrate top-down and bottom-up approaches

Combination of actions by governments, donors, and civil society.

Use of communication strategies at multiple levels.

Tool-kit approach

Use different techniques in different contexts according to problems, priorities, and target groups.

Combine media and interpersonal communication

Stimulate social networks and peer conversation.

Community empowerment

Community empowerment should be the goal of interventions.

In nutshellCommunication for developmentCommunication for social changeInformation, education and communicationBehavior change communicationSocial mobilizationMedia advocacyStrategic communicationParticipatory communication